Chain hoist



March 15, 1955 E, ROBINS 2,704,201

CHAIN HOIST Filed Dec. 23, 1950 A -VQM 30 Z ZZ 326.34%

INVENToR.

z@ A2@ B United States Patent() CHAIN HOIST Erford E. Robins, North Tonawanda, N. Y., assignor to Columbus McKinnon Chain Corporation, Tonawanda, N. Y.

Application December 23, 1950, Serial No. 202,500

Claims. (Cl. 254-167) This invention relates to chain hoists, and more particularly to improved chain guide means for incorporation within hoists of the type as shown for example in my prior Patent 2,493,727 issued January 3, 1950.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide in a hoist of the character aforesaid an improved means for guiding the load lift chain as it trains over the load lift sprocket or wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved chain guide for the purpose aforesaid, which may be readily and inexpensively .formed of two-piece construction for mounting within the hoist frame during assembly of the hoist in improved manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved two-piece chain guide sub-assembly for use in chain hoists of the character described, which guide shall completely encircle the load lift wheel and guide the load lift chain thereover in improved manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a chain hoist of the character described a combination chain guide and chain stripper and chain dead end anchor device of improved form.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a typical chain hoist, incorporating a combination chain guide and stripper and chain anchor device of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom elevational view of the chain guide and stripper and chain anchor device disassembled from the hoist;

Fig. 3 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken along line lll-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Previously, chain guide devices for the stated purposes have been made in the form of multiple elements variously mounted in the hoist frame, but such arrangements have been disadvantageous because they have been expensive to manufacture, awkward to assemble, and lacking in ruggedness. However, it is impracticable to forge a chain guide and stripper and anchor device in the form of a single forging because of the necessary complexity of the shape thereof.

The present invention therefore contemplates fabrication of a chain guide device which also incorporates chain stripping and dead end anchor means, by bolting together paired forgings which are relatively simple to fabricate and which when mounted together in the hoist frame function as would a single piece structure. Hence,

l the forged parts are readily formed to include chain stripping means and means for accommodating therebetween the dead end chain anchor device which may conveniently comprise the head of a standard bolt; the threaded end of the bolt being permitted to protrude from the device to serve as a hanger for the loose end of the chain to be anchored thereon.

Thus, as shown in the drawing, for example, the invention is illustrated in conjunction with a chain hoist frame designated generally at which for simplification of illustration is shown only fragmentarily but may comprise for example a hoist frame of the type shown in my prior Patent 2,493,727. Thus, the hoist frame is provided with the usual upper hook 12 and the hoist load wheel or sprocket is indicated at 14. The load lift chain is indicated at 15 (Fig. l) as being trained over the load lift wheel 14, and the returning dead end of the load chain 15 is indicated at 16.

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The combination chain guide and chain stripper and anchor device of the invention is indicated generally at 18. Figs. 2 and 3 show the device of the invention disassembled from the hoist frame, and Fig. 1 illustrates the positional mounting thereof in the hoist frame. Fig. 4 is an inside elevational View of one of the forging members which cooperate to provide the unit device of the invention; and it will be understood that for each guide device of the invention a pair of matching forgings (one right hand and one left hand) of the type shown in Fig. 4 are required to be placed in opposed relation to provide the unit assembly as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus, each member comprises a forging designated 20 having a central circular opening as indicated at 22 to accommodate passage of the load lift wheel 14 therethrough during assembly and disassembly of the hoist mechanism.

The upper portions of the members 20-20 are shaped generally concentric of the circular openings 22 and the members are circularly grooved as indicated at 24 inside of the upper and side portions thereof marginally of the openings 22 so as to accommodate in free-sliding relation therethrough the upstanding links 25 of the load chain as it trains around the wheel 14. The bottom portions of the members 20--20 are formed so that when paired they provide clover leaf shaped openings therethrough as indicated at 26--26 so as to permit the ascending and descending strands of the load chain 15 to freely slide therethrough; the openings 26-26 being aligned with the vertical strands of the load chain and in continuity with the curved groove portions 24--24 of the forging members. Thus, at a position between the clover leaf openings 26-26 each forging member includes arr abutment portion 28 so that when the two forging members are disposed in matched assembled position as shown in Fig. 2, the clover leaf shaped chain inlet and outlet openings 26-26 are separated by an abutment structure 28-28 which functions as a stripper for insuring stripping of the-load chain from the wheel 14 as the latter rotates. Thus, the unit embodies interiorly thereof a horseshoe shape groove for guiding the load chain and the need for a separate stripper device is eliminated by the simple construction of the forging members 20-20. The outer flange portions 29 of the forging members 2020 are formed with registering openings 30 so that bolts 32 (Fig. l) may be inserted therethrough and thence screwed into appropriately drilled and tapped portions of the hoist frame 10 so as to simultaneously draw the forging members Ztl-20 together in the assembled form as shown in Fig. 2 and to mount the assembly in proper position within the hoist frame.

As indicated at 34-34 (Figs. 2-4) the forging members 20-20 are formed with laterally extending lobes, the inner faces of which are recessed as indicated at 36 (Fig. 4) to receive in each instance one-half of the shank and head portion of a bolt as indicated at 38 (Figs. 1-2). Thus, the head of the bolt 38 may be readily assembled within the unit during assembly of the latter in the hoist frame, whereupon the shank of the bolt will extend from the unit so as to provide a convenient cantilever hanger to receive the dead end portion 16 of the load chain as shown in Fig. l. A lock nut 39 will then act to hold the dead end 16 of the chain on the bolt 38.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention comprises an extremely simple and rugged construction embodying in a single unit an inverted U-shaped chain guide means which completely encircles the load lift wheel for guiding the load chain to accurately train therearound while permitting the ascending and descending strands of the chain to pass freely therethrough; the clover leaf shaped openings at the bottom of the device functioning to prevent the chain from twisting at the entrance to the hoist frame and insuring proper guiding of the chain for entry into geared relation with the load lift wheel. At the same time the device provides an eicient chain stripper arrangement for preventing the out-going strand of the load chain from following the load lift wheel so as to become entangled with the ingoing strand of the chain; and this arrangement is provided in the case of the present invention without adding extra parts. Also, the device of the invention provides an improved and simplied form of dead end chain anchor means; the entire unit being readily assembled and disassembled from the hoist frame with utmost ease and facility.

I claim:

l. In a chain hoist including a frame and a load lift wheel therein, a combination chain guide and stripper and end anchor device comprising a pair of matched members having circular apertures therethrough adapting said members to slip-fit over said load lift wheel during assembly of said hoist, the inside faces of said members being inverted U-shape grooved so that when said members are assembled in opposed united relation they provide therebetween a continuous slideway around the load lift chain as it trains over the hoist load lift wheel, the bottom portions of said members being grooved so that when they are united they provide a pair of spaced clover leaf shaped openings therethrough separated by a closed abutment device adapted to function as a stripper for peeling the load lift chain from the load lit`t wheel, said members having matched lobe portions extending laterally therefrom, said lobe portions being recessed at the inner faces thereof so as to accommodate therebetween the headed end portion of an arm device so that the latter extends beyond said members for hanging thereon the dead end portion of the hoist load chain.

2. In a chain hoist including a frame and a load lift wheel therein, a combination chain guide and stripper and end anchor device comprising a pair of matched members, the inside faces of said members being U-shape grooved so that when said members are assembled in opposed united relation they provide therebetween a continuous slideway around the load lift chain as it trains over the hoist load lift wheel, the bottom portions of said members being grooved so that when they are united they provide a pair of spaced openings therethrough separated by a closed abutment device adapted to function as a stripper for peeling the load lift chain from the load lift wheel, said members having matched lobe portions extending laterally therefrom, said lobe portions being recessed at the inner faces thereof so as to accommodate therebetween one end of an arm device so that the latter extends beyond said members for hanging thereon the dead end portion of the hoist load chain, and means detachably holding said members in united relation.

3. In a chain hoist including a frame and a load lift wheel, a combination chain guide and stripper device comprising a pair of matched members adapted to be assembled in opposed united relation, the inside faces of said members being U-shape grooved so that when said members are assembled in opposed united relation they define therebetween a continuous slideway around the load lift chain as it trains over the hoist load lift wheel, the bottom portions of said members being grooved so that when they are united they define a pair of spaced chain openings therethrough separated by an abutment device adapted to function as a stripper for peeling the load lift chain from the load lift wheel, said members being provided with matched lobe portions recessed at their inner faces to accommodate one end of an arm device adapted at its opposite end to receive the dead end portion of the load lift chain.

4. .In a chain hoist including a frame and a load lift i wheel, a chain guide device comprising a pair of matched members adapted to be assembled in opposed united relation, ythe inside faces of said members being U-shape grooved so that when said members are assembled in opposed united relation they define therebetween a continuous slideway around the load lift chain as it trains over the hoist load lift wheel, said members being provided with matched lobe portions recessed to accommodate an arm device extending beyond said members to receive the dead end portion of the load lift chain.

5. ln a chain hoist including a frame, a load lift wheel and a lift chain, a combination chain guide and stripper device comprising a pair of plate-like members of substantially similar shape disposed vertically opposite each other and united in face to face mating relationship, each of said members having a circular opening therethrough so that the members are adapted to slip tit over the lift wheel during assembly of the hoist, each of said members having in its inner face a first groove of inverted U-shaped form, the upper part of each of said grooves directly bordering the circular opening in the member, and said grooves jointly forming a continuous slideway for the load lift chain as it trains over the hoist load lift wheel, the bottom portion of each of said members having a substantially at horizontal end face and having in its inner side face a second groove adjacent the inner side of each lower leg portion of said first groove, and a third groove adjacent the inner side of said second groove disposed opposite to and of substantially the same depth as the lower leg portion of one of said first grooves, said second and third grooves each extending vertically from the bottom end faces of said members to the lower portion of said circular opening, said third grooves of each of the members being separated by a vertically extending abutment portion, the opposing bottom portions of said members jointly defining a pair of spaced chain guide entrance and exit openings of general clover leaf conguration in cross section extending vertically therethrough and separated by the closed abutment formed by said abutment portions, said closed abutment being adapted to function as a stripper for peeling the load lift chain from the load lift wheel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 239,408 Towne et al. Mar. 29, 1881 748,762 Lorin Jan. 5, 1904 1,458,354 Neller June 12, 1923 1,572,001 Dotzert Feb. 9, 1926 1,576,986 Mullen Mar. 16, 1926 2,132,202 Carlson Oct. 4, 1938 2,426,112 Moore et al. Aug. 19, 1947 2,433,692 Geer Dec. 30, 1947 2,493,727 Parker et al Ian. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,921 Great Britain of 1909 

